novelraw Chapter 262-3: The Might of the Black Dragon, Rescuing the Juvenile Nurarihyon (3)
Chapter 262-3: The Might of the Black Dragon, Rescuing the Juvenile Nurarihyon (3)
Lin Xun hurried back to his rental apartment, had dinner cooked by the Valkyrie, and immediately resumed progressing the game.
Although today’s three waves of Outer Demons had been relatively easy to handle, he couldn’t afford to get careless with the defenses for the next two days.
After clearing out the vanguard, the number of monsters in the main force of the Outer Demons surged to more than three hundred.
The increase in numbers was only one aspect. Once the main force appeared, it would also spawn Outer Demon bosses.
Back in fourth difficulty, a group of Logistics Apostles had been completely wiped out precisely because of this, they failed to eliminate all the minor monsters before the boss appeared.
Under the combined assault of bosses and mobs, as soon as one celestial palace fell, all the remaining palaces would trigger a chain reaction.
Each of the three waves of Outer Demons was stronger than the last. At this rate, by the final day of defense, the Outer Demons’ power would have escalated to a truly terrifying level.
“Good thing the female superior didn’t randomly recruit people into the group. Otherwise, even with me here, I’d probably be stretched too thin, unable to cover everything, ultimately causing the palaces to fall.”
At present, he still had two cultivation attempts left with the Iridescent Scale of the Mirage Dragon to strengthen the Dragon Embryo.
Lin Xun decided that after taming the Juvenile Nurarihyon, he would use both attempts.Teleporting back to the Five-Story Treasure Pagoda of Dharma-Aspect Temple, he made his way straight toward the Golden Hall where many yokai were imprisoned.
By now, it was already night. Dharma-Aspect Temple was no longer open to the public, and all the tourists had long since dispersed.
[You stride forward and slowly push open the Golden Hall’s doors…]
[The wooden doors creak with a chilling groan, and a shaft of moonlight spills into the hall.]
[Rows of fine iron cages stand to either side, stretching into the depths of the Golden Hall.]
[Inside the cages, all manner of yokai are imprisoned, each as you saw before, gaunt and skeletal, covered in wounds.]
[Your arrival rouses the slumbering yokai. All kinds of cries fill your ears…]
[“…The great demon has returned!”]
[“Shut up, what great demon? Call him Dragonborn Lord!”]
[“Yes, yes, Dragonborn Lord has come to save us!”]
[…]
[You ignore the yokai’s excited cheers and stop before the iron cage nearest the statue of the Chaotic Origin Dragon…]
[Inside the cage, the young boy’s body is covered in whip scars, every inch raw and bleeding. Yet there is no sign of pain on his handsome face, only hope, as he looks at you and asks whether you have saved his grandfather.]
[Facing the question of the Origin-Tracing Juvenile Nurarihyon, how will you respond?]
[1. His grandfather, the Celestial Demon Nurarihyon, betrayed the Dragon God, attempting to proclaim himself a god. Acting in the Dragon God’s name, you struck him down. Rest assured, his grandfather died peacefully, there is no need to grieve.]
[2. The defensive power of the No-Illusions Shrine was too strong. Even after exhausting every means, you were unable to rescue his grandfather and had no choice but to return here, hoping he would leave Dharma-Aspect Temple to aid you.]
[3. You successfully rescued his grandfather, but on the road escaping the shrine, his grandfather tragically perished. In his final moments, he entrusted his grandson to you and gave you the Nurarihyon clan’s ancestral artifact.]
The third option was likely the extra choice that only appeared after acquiring the special item Celestial Demon Nurarihyon’s Soul Pearl.
Lin Xun, brimming with confidence, pressed the third option.
[You describe to the Juvenile Nurarihyon all the hardships you faced to save his grandfather, how the two of you were hunted on the road out of the shrine, and how many times you hovered on the brink of death.]
[But alas, the new god’s believers were too numerous and too powerful. You had intended to lay down your life to cover his grandfather’s escape, but never expected the daimyo of the city’s Tenshukaku to suddenly arrive with an army…]
[Now…now, his grandfather…]
[Your voice breaks with sobs as you produce a dark greenish-blue pearl, the Celestial Demon Nurarihyon’s Soul Pearl.]
[The Juvenile Nurarihyon reels as though struck by lightning. He stands frozen, two streams of bloody tears rolling down his face.]
[He collapses helplessly to the ground as if all hope of living has been extinguished.]
[He has been imprisoned here for many years, suffering endless humiliation at the hands of humans. His sole reason to keep going was the hope of seeing his grandfather again.]
[Now, hearing that even his grandfather fell to human cruelty, he became like a puppet with its strings cut, his eyes nothing but lifeless ash.]
[You call to him twice, but seeing he gives no response, anger rises in your heart.]
[You reach through the iron bars, seize him by the collar, and lift him into the air.]
[You roar in fury that his grandfather risked everything to escape the shrine precisely to come to Dharma-Aspect Temple and save his grandson.]
[And now, entrusted with his grandfather’s dying wish, you returned to this temple at the risk of your life, only to rescue a hollow body…]
[You truly feel unworthy on his grandfather’s behalf!]
[The Juvenile Nurarihyon remains motionless, indifferent to your shouts and blows. He even starts closing his eyes, sealing off his own heart.]
[Seeing this, you let out a cold laugh, toss the limp Juvenile Nurarihyon to the ground like a pile of refuse, and turn to leave…]
[As you walk away, you curse that he is worthless, while the daimyo who killed his grandfather still lives in ease and glory, the last surviving yokai of the Nurarihyon line cowers here like a turtle in its shell.]
[If that’s how it is, you’ll go alone to the Tenshukaku and assassinate the daimyo. Even if you die, you will have no regrets!]
[Just as you are about to leave the Golden Hall, a voice echoes from the dark depths of the chamber behind you, a solemn oath choked with tears and blood…]
[If Dragonborn Lord will take him to the Tenshukaku to avenge this sea of blood, he will become your servant in body and soul, a beast of burden at your side, forever at your command.]
[Should he break this vow, may heaven and earth alike destroy him!]
[You turn back. In the pitch-black recesses of the Golden Hall, two burning eyes stare at you, eyes aflame with a fire called vengeance, ready to tear the prison’s chains apart.]